life coachingOver the last seven years of coaching busy professionals on the phone, one of the most common questions I hear before embarking in a new life coaching relationship is: “Where are we going to meet?” My answer is invariably: “On the phone, I call you wherever you are.” My answer raises some natural questions:

  • How can my life coach help me without seeing me?
  • How can I feel comfortable without seeing my life coach?
  • How can we establish a trusting coaching relationship without ever meeting in person?

These same questions were going through my mind when I completed my coach training. Therefore I chose to coach my life coaching clients in person. After a few months of coaching face to face, one of my clients asked if we could meet on the phone instead. He didn’t have the time to drive across the city for his life coaching sessions. I wanted to make life coaching possible for this client and agreed to coach him on the phone. As soon as we began coaching on the phone, his results improved.  I was surprised and curious. I wondered if the same could be true for my all of my life coaching clients.

I began sharing my observation with my clients and invited them to give coaching on the phone a chance. Some of my clients were reluctant but eventually all were willing to try at least one life coaching session on the phone. To my even greater surprise the same shift happened for all of my life coaching clients. Even those whose preference was for such important communication to be in person, achieved better results with coaching on the phone. The most important goal as a life coach is to help my clients achieve results.  Based on these improved outcomes when using the telephone as our communication medium, I decided to only work on the phone.

The question as to why life coaching on the phone achieved better results was still on my mind.  I was eager to find solid explanations. On my quest I came up with the following reasons:

  • When we meet face to face with someone, we want to make a good impression, whether subconsciously  or consciously.  The business of wanting to look good and make a good impression takes energy . This energy is used directly  towards achieving results with coaching on the phone.
  • When we meet face to face we are receiving a lot of information. We take in the new environment, we read the body language of the other person, and we interpret the various visual cues we receive. All of this can become a distraction from our intended focus. When we meet on the phone, both coach and client are in their familiar environment. We naturally focus all of our energy on moving forward and achieving results.
  • During the coaching process, emotions can surface and clients sometimes cry, which is a very healthy process by the way.  Being on the phone when crying often feels safer for my clients as they don’t have to worry about how they look and if their make-up smears. The tears may flow allowing one to move through the emotion much easier and move on faster to regain our focus.
  • Of course when I meet with you on the phone as your coach, I have less information available about you. However, the old saying “less is more” certainly applies. Having less information, I am intently focused on your voice, your words and your tone. This enables me to tune into what you are saying and how you are saying it more deeply.  I receive bigger picture information that helps us clarify and address your most important goals.

Life coaching on the phone is more effective because you can:

  • receive life coaching in your preferred environment (your home or office) and don’t have to spend time rushing through traffic to get to your coaching session.
  • receive life coaching when you are away on business or personal travels, no need to postpone your coaching session because you are out of town.
  • work with your preferred life coach no matter where he/she resides.
  • continue working with your life coach when you  or your coach move.

In short coaching on the phone means optimal results in the least amount of time. I work with clients all over the world, whether you are in Toronto, Vancouver, Dubai or Germany, I will coach you wherever YOU are, literally!